File:Folded silver coin Bag 72. Composite picture showing different angles. (FindID 840899-646692).jpg

English: Circumstances of discovery:

93 coins (including cut halfpennies) were discovered together in the course of metal detecting on ploughed land with the permission of the landowner. The coins were found scattered in the plough soil over an area of c.50cm. Subsequently, two additional pennies were reported on 25 April 2017 and a further four on 1 June 2017.

Date of deposition: c.997-1003

Description:

A hoard of 99 English silver pennies of the late tenth-century minted during the reign of King Æthelred II 'the Unready' (r.978-1016). All of the coins are of Æthelred's 'Crux' (N770, BMC iiia; c.991-997) or 'Long Cross' (N774, BMC iva; c.997-1003) types. One coin is a sceptre-less variant of the 'Crux' type (N771).

Fourteen mints are represented: Cambridge, Canterbury, Colchester, Huntingdon, Lincoln, London, Malmesbury (or possibly Maldon), Metheltun (possibly Melton Mowbray), Norwich, Stamford, Thetford, Wallingford, Wilton and York. The coins of the 'Crux' type originate predominantly from mints in eastern England, with the greatest number form Lincoln. By contrast, despite a generally comparable spread of mints represented, a much higher proportion of the later 'Long Cross' coins were minted in London (the best represented mint) with a handful originating from mints in Wessex and Kent. This slight shift in regional focus may indicate that the hoard was not assembled at a single place or time.

All of the mints represented in the hoard are previously known. However, coins from Metheltun are rare - only three have been previously attested, and none of those were struck by the moneyer 'Cetel' who is named on both the Metheltun coins in this hoard (nos. 30, 31). The discovery thus adds considerably to what is currently known about this mint (which has tentatively been identified with Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire)<a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a>.

One other moneyer, Corswein (no. 53), is associated with a mint (York) with which that name has not previously been linked (a 'Colsweign' was minting coins at Lincoln at this time). Less certain is the identity of the moneyer Eadred named on a coin with the mint signature MAL. This is probably intended to indicate the mint at Malmesbury (Wiltshire), and therefore Eadred should perhaps be identified with the moneyer 'Ealdred' who is known to have operated there. There are, however, no other examples of this corruption of the personal name on other Malmesbury coins of this type, and Eadred and Ealdred are normally considered to be distinct Anglo-Saxon names.

There is a possibility that the mint signature was intended to indicate Maldon (Essex). This attribution would accord well with the geographical origins of the other coins of this type in the hoard, as well as the find spot. However, no moneyer of similar name is known for the Maldon mint, and mint signatures for Maldon tend to feature a dipthong (e.g., MÆL). Therefore, despite the Malmesbury mint being a geographical outlier amongst the other Crux pennies in the hoard, it remains on balance the more likely mint of origin for this coin.

An unusual feature is to be observed on coin no. 76, a Long Cross penny minted at Lincoln by the moneyer Dreng. On this coin, a letter D appears in the reverse field, in the third quadrant (between 6 and 9 o'clock). I am currently unaware of any other coin with this particular addition, and at present its appearance in this reverse die is unexplained. It is possibly an idiosyncratic emphasis of the moneyer's initial.

Of the 99 coins in the hoard, eighteen are cut halfpennies. All are of the 'Long Cross' type. Each cut half comes from a different penny, and the cutting therefore presumably occurred before the hoard was assembled, suggesting that these halfpennies were already in circulation. In addition, two coins are folded - probably deliberately - and four others are bent or chipped (some of this damage is likely to have occurred in the ground, possibly as a result of plough action).

Two coins, nos. 41 and 42, are struck from the same obverse die.

Wider context:

Coins of these types were produced in large quantities during the late tenth century, at a time when Viking attacks on England were dramatically escalating (a period which culminated in the conquest of England by the Danish king Svein Forkbeard in 1013 and subsequently by his son, Cnut, in 1016). From 991, a number of historically documented payments were made by the English to Viking armies under a variety of circumstances. In is likely that other, undocumented, payments were also made at this time, and significant quantities of coins of these types have been recovered from hoards in England and Scandinavia. The design of both the Crux and Long Cross coins went on to determine the design of royal coinage in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and in the Viking kingdom centred on Dublin.

It is possible, given this wider context, that the hoard represents part of a payment made or prepared for a Viking army around the end of the first millennium. On the other hand, it may represent the accumulated wealth of an English owner or owners, buried for safekeeping. Either way, the endemic warfare of the decades either side of the year 1000 present a number of plausible scenarios to account for the accumulation, burial and failure to retrieve the hoard. It is hoped that a more detailed consideration of the context and contents of the hoard will be the subject of future publication.

Details: (see catalogue)

Recommendation:

At least two coins with a minimum precious metal content of 10% constitutes treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 if it is more than 300 years old. This hoard contains 99 silver coins and is around 1000 years old; it therefore meets the necessary criteria to be regarded as Treasure.

Author: Dr Thomas Williams (British Musuem).

Date: 27 July 2018

Catalogue of the Near Beccles Hoard

Coins are grouped by type and then alphabetically by mint and moneyer. Each coin is numbered according to its position in the catalogue, with the original PAS numbering following in the subsequent column.

CRUX: N770, BMC iiia; c.991-997

(61 coins)

Unknown mint (1)

Unknown moneyer

<tbody></tbody>

BM No.	PAS No.	Weight (g)	Diam (mm)	Die axis (o'c)	Obv (NG ligated unless otherwise)	Rev	Notes
1	1	1.38	20.5	?	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOX	inaccessible	folded

Cambridge (3)

Eadmund

<tbody></tbody>

2

93

1.06

18.5

12

+ÆDELRÆDREXANGLQX

+EADMVNDM-OGRAT

Edwine

<tbody></tbody>

3

19

1.03

19.3

6

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLQX

+EDPINEM-OGRANT

Leofwine

<tbody></tbody>

4

43

1.18

19.1

12

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGQX

+LEOFPINM-OGRAT

Colchester (1)

Wulfnoth

<tbody></tbody>

5

29

0.9

19.9

8

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOX

+PVLNAÐM-OCOLE

Huntingdon (1)

Ælfric

<tbody></tbody>

6

16

1.29

18.8

6

+ÆDELREDRE[X]ANGLQX

+ELFRICM-ONVNT

Lincoln (19)

Ælfsige

<tbody></tbody>

7	35	1.04	20	9	+ÆÐERÆDREXANGLQX	+ELFSIGEM-OLIN
8	40	1.09	19.2	3	+ÆÐEREDREXANGLOX	+ELFSIGEM-OLINC(NC ligated)

Colgrim

<tbody></tbody>

9	23	0.93	19.3	3	+ÆÐERÆDREXANGLOX	+COLGRIMM-OLIN
10	12	1.16	20.3	8	+EÐELREDREXANGLQX	+COLGRIMM-OLINC

Dreng

<tbody></tbody>

11	51	1.32	20.3	7	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLQX	+DRE.NGM-OLVÐE
12	20	1.14	19.5	1	+EÐEREDREXANGLO[X]	+DRENGM-OLVÐC

Eadwine

<tbody></tbody>

13

15

1.04

19.6

6

+ÆDELREDREXANGLOX

+EA[-]FINM-O(L?)IN[-]

Garfin

<tbody></tbody>

14

37

1.13

19.6

11

+EÐELREDREXANGLOX

+GARFINM-OLINC

chipped

Grim

<tbody></tbody>

15

39

1.27

20.6

3

+EÐELREDREXANGLOrX

+GRIMM-OLINC

poor condition

Osgut

<tbody></tbody>

16

54

1

19.5

12

+EÐELREDREXANQX

+OSGVTM-OLINC

Theodgeld

<tbody></tbody>

17	73	0.95	18.1	12	+EÐEREDREXANGOX	[+Ð]EODGILDȠ-.OLIN	bent/chipped
18	44	1.17	19.1	6	+EÐELREDREXANGLO	+DEODGYLDM-OLI
19	70	1.08	19.5	9	+[E]DL(inverted)R (reversed) Æ(inverted) ÐREXANGLOX	+ÐEODGILDM-.OLIN
20	48	1.34	20.3	6	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOrX	+DEODGYLDM-OLIN
21	28	1.03	19	3	+EÐEREDREXANGLQX	+ÐEODGILDM-OLIN
22	6	1.15	19.1	6	+ÆÐERÆDREXANGLOX	+ÐEODGILDM-OLI
23	3	1.15	19.6	11	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGQX	+ÐEODGILDM-OLI
24	4	1.07	19.6	9	+[EDERED]REXANGLQX	+ÐEOÐGILDM:OLIN

Ulf

<tbody></tbody>

25

53

1.12

19.5

9

+EÐEREPREXANGO

+VLFM-OLINCO

Unbein

<tbody></tbody>

26

7

1.14

19.4

12

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLQX

+VNBEINM-OLINC

London (2)

Ælfwine

<tbody></tbody>

27

13

1.17

19.3

6

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLOX

+ÆLFPINEM-OLVN

Edwine

<tbody></tbody>

28

9

1.11

19.3

1

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLQ

+EDPINEM-OLVND

Malmesbury/Maldon (1)

Ea[l]dred<a href="#_ftn1">[1]</a>

<tbody></tbody>

29

2

1.03

19.3

3

+EÐELREDREXANGLO

+EADREDM-OMAL.

Pellet after mint name over fine crescent.

Metheltun (2)

Cetel<a href="#_ftn2">[2]</a>

<tbody></tbody>

30	1	1.15	19.3	1	+EÐEREDRXANGLOX	+CETELM-OMEÐEL
31	74	1.18	19.7	12	+ÆDELRÆDREXANGLQX	+.CETELM-OMEÐEL

Norwich (6)

Eadmund

<tbody></tbody>

32	42	1.4	20.6	6	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOrX	+EADMVNDM-ONOD	same obv die as 33
33	41	1.38	20.8	6	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOrX	+EADMVNDM-ONORÐ	same obv die as 32

Folcard

<tbody></tbody>

34

32

1.63

20.7

9

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLOrX

+FOLCARVM-ONORÐ

bent

Lifinc

<tbody></tbody>

35	62	1.33	20.3	3	[+]ÆDELRÆDREXANGLO[X]	+ILFINCM-ONORD
36	26	1.43	20.5	6	+ÆCER[E]DREXANGLOrX	+LIFINCM-ONORÐPIC

Manninc

<tbody></tbody>

37

24

1.46

20.6

9

+[Æ]ÐELRÆDREXANGLOX

+MANINC(NC ligated)M-ONORÐPI

Stamford (9)

Aeswy

<tbody></tbody>

38

25

0.96

19.3

1

+EÐELREDREXANGLOX

+AESPYM-OSTAN

Alfwold

<tbody></tbody>

39

8

1.26

20.3

10

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLQX

+ALFPOLDM-OSTAN

Brun(?)

<tbody></tbody>

40	52	1.1	19.6	12	+EÐELREDREXANO	+(B?)[---]M-OSTAN
41	5	1.01	20.8	12	+[EDE]REDREXANGLQX	+:B[--]NM-OSTAN (?)

Cristin

<tbody></tbody>

42

18

1.09

19.6

5

+ÆDELREDREXANGLOX

+CRISÐINM-OSTAN

Godleof

<tbody></tbody>

43

46

1.13

20.3

7

+ÆÐERÆDDEXANGLQX

+GODELEOFM-O[S]TA

Swart(?)

<tbody></tbody>

44

59

0.85

19.6

0

[+]ÆÐELRÆDREXANGL[QX]

+SPARTINM-O\(S?)TAN

Wulfmær

<tbody></tbody>

45	10	1.15	19.7	5	+EÐELREDREXANGLQX	+P[--]L[--]ÆRM O[-]TAN
46	55	1.07	20.1	2	+EÐELREDREXANQX	+PVLMERM-OSTAN

Thetford (6)

Deorulf

<tbody></tbody>

47

56

1.06

20.1

5

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLQX

+DEOROLFM-OÐEOD

Eadgar

<tbody></tbody>

48

36

0.87

19.6

12

+ÆÐELR[ÆDREX]ANGLQX

+EADG[ARM-]OÐEOD

chipped

Leofwine

<tbody></tbody>

49	38	1.03	19.3	12	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLQX	+LEOFPINE(NE ligated)M-OÐEOD
50	58	0.93	20	7	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLQX	+LEOFPINE(NE ligated)M-OÐEOD
51	14	1.08	20.2	7	+ÆÐELREDREXANGLQX	+LEOFPINE(NE ligated)M-OÐEOD

Osbern

<tbody></tbody>

52

99

0.91

20.5

12

+ÆDELREDRE[X?]ANGLQX

+OSBERNM-O[Ð]EOD

York (9)

Corswein<a href="#_ftn3">[3]</a>

<tbody></tbody>

53

34

1.29

20.6

12

+EÐELREDREXANGLOrX

+CORSPEINM-OEOF

Dahfin

<tbody></tbody>

54

17

1.25

20.5

3

+EÐE.LREDREXANGLO

+DAHFINM-OEOFI

Hildolf

<tbody></tbody>

55	50	1.25	20.3	12	+EÐEREDREXANGLO	+HILDOLFM.OEOFI
56	27	1.15	20.4	11	+EÐEREDREXANGLO	+HILDOLFM-OEOFI

Leofstan

<tbody></tbody>

57	11	1.13	19.6	3	+EÐELREDREXANGLO	+LEFSTANM-OEOFI
58	45	1.29	20	12	+ÆÐERÆDREXANGLOX	+LEOFSTANM-OEOF
59	72	1.55	20.9	?	inaccessible	+LEFSTANM-EOFRP	folded

Leofwine

<tbody></tbody>

60

57

0.89

18.6

3

+EDELПEÐПE[X]ANLOX

+LEOFPINEM-OEFR

Oscetel

<tbody></tbody>

61

47

1.29

20.2

2

[+]EÐEREDREXANGLQX

+OSCETELM-.OEOFR

CRUX; no sceptre (N771, BMC iii; c.991-997) (1)

London (1)

Edwine

<tbody></tbody>

62

60

1.08

19.5

6

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO

+EDPINEM-OLVND

variant type (N771)

LONG CROSS (N774, BMC iva) (37)

Unknown mint (2)

Uncertain moneyer (----wine)

<tbody></tbody>

63

84

0.79

19.7

12

+ÆÐ[-----------]LOrX

[----]PINEMΩO

Cut halfpenny

Uncertain moneyer (---fsig)

<tbody></tbody>

64

80

0.75

20.4

9

+ÆDEL[-----------]

[----]FSIGMIO[----]

Cut halfpenny

Eadwold

<tbody></tbody>

65

77

0.83

19.7

12

+ÆÐELRÆD[--------]

+EADPOLD

Cut halfpenny

Wulfwine

<tbody></tbody>

66

75

0.84

20.2

12

+ÆÐELRE[D--------]

+PVLFPIN[-------]

Cut halfpenny

Uncertain mint (3)

Osgut (Lincoln?)

<tbody></tbody>

67

92

0.65

20.1

12

[---]ELRÆDREXA[----]

+ÆL[--------]RANT

Cut halfpenny

Unbein(?) (Lincoln?)

<tbody></tbody>

68

82

0.85

19.7

6

[--Ð]ELRÆDREXA[----]

[----]BEINMΩO

Cut halfpenny

Grim (Lincoln/York/London?)

<tbody></tbody>

69

85

0.72

20.2

9

[---E]LREDREXAN[---]

+GRIMM[------]

Cut halfpenny

Cambridge (1)

Uncertain moneyer (Æl----)

<tbody></tbody>

70

92

0.65

20.1

12

[---]ELRÆDREXA[----]

+ÆL[--------]RANT

Cut halfpenny

Canterbury (1)

Eadwold

<tbody></tbody>

71

33

1.64

19.9

12

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+EADPOLDM.O(with central pellet)CÆNT

Huntingdon (1)

<tbody></tbody>

72

88

0.79

20

3

[---]ELRÆDREX[A----]

[--------]M-ONVNT

Cut halfpenny

Lincoln (4)

Uncertain moneyer (Col----)

<tbody></tbody>

73

89

0.76

19.7

3

+ÆÐELRED[--------]

+COL[-------]LIIC

Cut halfpenny

Ælfsige

<tbody></tbody>

74

67

1.47

20.3

12

+ÆÐEL.REDREXANGO

+ÆLFSIGMΩOLINC

Æthelnoth

<tbody></tbody>

75

21

1.63

20.7

6

+ÆDELREDERXAIG (NG ligated?)

+EÐELNOCMO(with central pellet)OLI

Dreng

<tbody></tbody>

76

97

1.58

19.8

6

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLO

+DRENGMΩO(with central pellet)LIIC

D in quadrant below Ω

London (13)

Unknown moneyer

<tbody></tbody>

77	81	0.78	19.6	6	+ÆÐELRÆD[--------]	[-------]EMOLVND	Cut halfpenny
78	91	0.77	20.1	9	+ÆD[----------]GLO	[--------]M.O(with central pellet)LVND	Cut halfpenny

Uncertain moneyer (Leof----)

<tbody></tbody>

79

79

0.7

20.1

9

[-------Æ]ÐREANG

+LEO(with central pellet)[-----]VND

Cut halfpenny

Ælfric

<tbody></tbody>

80

96

1.62

20.4

9

+.ÆÐELREDREXANGLQ

+ÆLFRICM.OLVND

Ælfwine

<tbody></tbody>

81	61	1.58	19.6	9	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGL.	+ÆLFPINEM.O(with central pellet)LVND
82	66	1.57	19.9	6	+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)	+ÆLFPINEM.O(with central pellet)LVND

Godric

<tbody></tbody>

83

30

1.52

20.2

9

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+GODRICM.O(with central pellet)LVND

Heawulf

<tbody></tbody>

84

31

1.4

20.2

9

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+HE(HE ligated)APVLFMO(with central pellet)LVND

Leofric

<tbody></tbody>

85

71

1.55

20

12

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGL.

+LEO(with central pellet)FRICM.O(with central pellet)LVND

Leofstan

<tbody></tbody>

86

95

1.53

20.3

3

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+LEO(with central pellet)FSTANM.O(with central pellet)LVND

Lifinc

<tbody></tbody>

87

68

1.58

20.1

9

+ÆÐELREDREXANGLO

+LYFINC[M]OLVND

Wulfstan

<tbody></tbody>

88

94

1.57

20.1

12

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGL.

+PVLFSTANM.O(with central pellet)LVND

Wulfwine

<tbody></tbody>

89

69

1.72

19.7

12

+ÆÐELRIEDREXANGLO

+PVLFPINEMΩOLVND

Norwich (4)

Unknown moneyer

<tbody></tbody>

90

86

0.86

19.7

3

[---]ELRÆDREX[-----]

[--------]M.O(with central pellet)NORÐ

Cut halfpenny

Uncertain moneyer (Ælf----)

<tbody></tbody>

91

98

0.76

19.7

9

[-------]DREXANGLO

+ÆLF[--------]ORÐ

Cut halfpenny

Uncertain moneyer (----ric)

<tbody></tbody>

92

78

0.95

20.4

9

+ÆÐELRÆ[---------]

[----]RICMΩON[---]

Cut halfpenny

Hwateman

<tbody></tbody>

93

64

1.5

19.9

9

+[Æ]ÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+HPATEMANM.O(with central pellet)NORÐ

Stamford (2)

Godleof

<tbody></tbody>

94

49

1.45

19.5

12

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO(with central pellet)

+GODELEOFM.O(with central pellet)STAN

Swertgar

<tbody></tbody>

95

65

1.47

20

6

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGL.

+SPERGRMOSTA

Thetford (1)

Unknown moneyer

<tbody></tbody>

96

87

0.83

20.3

9

+E[Ð---------]NGLO(with central pellet)

[--------]M.OÐEOD

Cut halfpenny

Wallingford (1)

Mann

<tbody></tbody>

97

22

1.7

20.5

9

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO

+MANNMΩO(with central pellet)PELIG

Wilton (1)

Goldus

<tbody></tbody>

98

63

1.77

20

9

+ÆÐELRÆDREXANGLO

+GOLDVSMΩOPILT

York (1)

Uncertain moneyer (Ste----)

<tbody></tbody>

99

83

0.88

19.8

6

+ÆÐ[E---------G]LO(with central pellet)

+STE[-------]EOFR

Cut halfpenny

<a href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Previously unattested moneyer(?)

<a href="#_ftnref2">[2]</a> Previously unattested moneyer

<a href="#_ftnref3">[3]</a> Previously unattested moneyer

<a href="#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Blackburn, M., 2000. 'Metheltun not Medeshamstede: an Anglo-Saxon mint at Melton Mowbray rather than

Peterborough Abbey', BNJ 70, 143-5